There is nothing romantic about teargas. Or smoke bombs or rubber bullets or sound cannons.
Interpretation
The quote highlights the harsh realities of protest and civil unrest, devoid of glamor or romance.
Deray Mckesson's quote serves as a stark reminder that the tools used to suppress dissent—such as teargas, smoke bombs, and rubber bullets—are violent and inhumane. It emphasizes that there is nothing noble or romantic about the struggle against oppression; rather, it involves real danger and suffering. This perspective encourages a deeper understanding of the struggles faced by activists and the true gravity of their fight for justice.
In practice
Using this quote during a rally to remind participants of the seriousness of their actions.
If you close your eyes and think about where you feel the most safe, you're probably not going to tell me it's in a room full of police. You feel safe where you're around people that love you, when you have food and shelter, when you're being pushed to be your best self and learn.
Laws on hate speech and hate crimes do important work in a world that has been rooted in racism and bigotry since the inception of this country, which was not founded on ideals of justice.
So many of us don't know what we want; we just know we don't want what we have. We spend 99% of the time talking about how bad it is, but only 1% of the time talking about how we can do something about it.
I just couldn't believe that the police would fire tear gas into what had been a peaceful protest. I was running around, face burning, and nothing I saw looked like America to me.
The difference between equity and equality is that equality is everyone get the same thing and equity is everyone get the things they deserve.
God grant me the courage not to give up what I think is right even though I think it is hopeless.
My strength comes from my abdomen. It's the center of gravity and the source of real power.
As long as a man had the courage to reject what society told him to do, he could live life on his own terms. To what end? To be free. But free to what end? To read books, to write books, to think.
Coming out, all the way out, is offered more and more as the political solution to our oppression.
I always knew about the risks I was taking. Every year, someone you knew was killed racing. You had to ask yourself, do you enjoy driving these cars so much that you're prepared to take that risk?
The trauma of South Asian people escapes the confines of our own times. We're not just healing from what's been inflicted onto us as children... it is generations of pain embedded into our souls.
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